1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for and a method of separating sheet material, such as e.g. banknotes, from a stack.
2. Description of Related Art
Such an apparatus is known for example from DE-OS 34 47 777. By means of a movable pressure plate, a stack disposed on the pressure plate is fed towards a withdrawal means. The withdrawal means is a device that may include, among other things, a feed means, a retaining means, a separating roller and a retaining roller. For separating the sheet material, the pressure plate is moved towards the withdrawal means until the stack is urged against the feed means with slight pressure. Thereafter, the respective uppermost sheet of the stack is moved by the feed means in the direction towards the separating roller which then separates this sheet from the stack.
A disadvantage of the apparatus consists in that the slight pressure for urging the stack against the feed means cannot be held very constant during the entire separation process. This holds in particular for stacks of worn sheet material, such as e.g. banknotes that are wavy or kinked at various locations.